E. Lockhart’s new book, Genuine Fraud just came out. I was lucky enough to get an ARC and have read it already and WOW it’s really good! You can check out my review here. I’ve been reading a lot of mysteries and thrillers this summer, and most all of them have been fabulous. I’ve discovered some great new authors whose books give me a similar feel to E. Lockhart’s incredible storytelling abilities. So if you’re looking for your next edge-of-your-seat read after being left shocked by this book, you’ve come to the right place!

Paradise in Aruba quickly gets gruesome in this ripped-from-the-headlines thriller (Kirkus Reviews) with a twist that defies the imagination.

It’s Spring Break of senior year. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off to a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives.

But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations. As Anna sets out to find her friend’s killer, she discovers harsh revelations about her friendships, the slippery nature of truth, and the ache of young love.

Awaiting the judge’s decree, it becomes clear to Anna that everyone around her thinks she is not only guilty, but also dangerous. And when the whole story comes out, reality is more shocking than anyone could ever imagine…

This is one of the few reviews where I used gifs, at the authors request, so obviously it was a must!

WHAT DID I JUST READ?!?!?!?! Bravo, Abigail Haas, bravo. That was a real mindf*ck you gave me there (excuse my French, but that term needed to be used). I’m anticipating a book hangover courtesy of this book right here.

Dangerous Girls was a book that was so well crafted and clearly thought out. When I reached the end it was almost like I could see Abigail Haas laughing at the twisty rollercoaster ride she just took us on when she wrote certain parts. Messing with your head is an understatement when talking about what this book does to your mind.

I had absolutely no idea who was the killer until the very last couple of pages when it was revealed. Haas writes the story so that there is evidence that could bring any one of the characters down. From creepy Juan or Niklas to even friends Mel or Tate. But when you DO find out who the killer is…it’ll be sure to shock you.

That ending came out of nowhere for me. When you finally know who did it, you play back every event that you just read from the book searching for clues pointing to the murderer, BUT THERE ARE NONE. That’s when you realize Haas wrote a character that’s even more twisted and more of a psychopath than you thought.

I knocked off a star because, while the ending was AMAZING, I felt that there were things that needed to be clarified and wrapped up. But based on how the author wrote the rest of the book I’m thinking that maybe she wanted our imagination to be left with a blank canvas to get even twistier than the story that was already there. You are an evil genius, Abigail Haas…

Overall, Dangerous Girls can best be summed up in one word: CRAZY. Just when you think you know what’s going on, the story takes a 180 spin and you’re back at square one of the mystery. I couldn’t put it down!

Now, I have some lingering questions that are quite spoilery that I’d love to just put out there so we can discuss theories and the story in general. Come back after you’ve read the book and highlight the text below to hear what I’ve got to say. As not to spoil others who have yet to read, chat with me about spoiler-y stuff on Twitter, @bookskittens!

The “I win” at the end when Anna is at Elise’s grave gave me chills!!! So, so creepy.

The very last paragraph of the book I was both weirded and creeped out by. It also lead me to a have a couple questions: Did Tate not notice Anna the whole time she was watching?! When Tate went to visit Anna right before the decision did he know the truth?

Wasn’t murder a little extreme, even if your best friend was having an affair with your boyfriend? I mean, talk it out people!

Is everything that all of her friends said against Anna really true? Like, when Mel changes her testimony talking about the fight…Was she really lying, or since the book is told from Anna’s POV and Anna is clearly messed up, does she twist everything around and lie herself?

What I Did:

Tuesday marked the very first day back to school after a way too short summer. I will say that everything went smoothly and I am loving my classes so far! This past Friday was my first 2 hour block AP Chem class and I am really enjoying it! My teacher has pictures of Benedict Cumberbatch on her wall. I’m not in love with him like some but I think Sherlock is pretty cool so I fangirled a little, I admit! I’m also dabbling in a different kind of art than I normally do: sculpture! I was hoping to get in ceramics, but it wouldn’t fit, so I’m in sculpture but I think it will be such a fun class. And I can’t forget the class that I’ve been meaning to take for years but could never fit: Advertising and Graphic Design!! I am so lucky/happy/excited that my school offers a course for the field of work that I actually want to go into and my teacher already started talking about typography *faints* I’m so going to love this class… And one more school notable thing to mention: my AP Language teacher like sniffing books. We are going to be friends, I can tell! 😛

Also on a completely random note, I’ve been loving the song Ugly Heart by G.R.L. It’s so catchy and I am OBSESSED.

Links I Loved:

Not gonna lie I didn’t read many posts this week because who knew going back to school could be so tiring?!

Quinn @ Quinn’s Book Nookdiscusses characters and her feelings when she reads about one that reminds her of herself.

Books I Added to My Shelves:

[pictures to be added when it stops raining so I can have good light!]

Bought:

Sever by Lauren DeStefano – The third and final book in The Chemical Garden trilogy. I recently bought book #2 and wanted to have the last one so I could binge read them together!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin – I seriously can’t believe I just picked this up…

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas – EVERYONE has been talking about this book this summer, so naturally I want to see what it’s all about!

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins – FINALLY! I’m doing this as a read-a-long with Lillie and Genesis.

For Review:

Suspicion by Alexandra Monir (Random House/NetGalley – Thank you!) – I read the synopsis and I knew that I had to read this one! I requested this a while back and never got accepted until just yesterday so this was a very pleasant surprise!

Recently Finished and Currently Reading:

My most recent read was The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy which was quite disappointing. But I’m hoping to have better luck with Wildlife by Fiona Wood, my current read!

Disclaimer

This blog is my hobby, and I do not receive compensation for any posts or reviews I write. Sometimes I receive ARCs for free from publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. All reviews are my own thoughts and opinions, non-biased, and not at all influenced by authors or publishers, including promotional blog tour reviews. Book covers and synopses are taken from Goodreads.com unless otherwise noted. If you have a problem with anything featured on this site please, please, PLEASE feel free to contact me!

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